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Call to action! Protect our members against unfair excise tax CLEVELAND, December 29 — All BLET members should immediately call their members of the House of Representatives and insist that they sign on to a letter circulated by Representative Joe Courtney (D-CT) opposing the excise tax on health insurance included in the Senate’s health care legislation, which passed on December 24. The BLET strongly opposes the 40 percent excise tax on plans with a value of $8,500 or over for individuals and $23,000 or over for families. This proposed new tax would impact nearly 39 million households and 40 percent of health plans by 2019, according to reports. This tax would cripple working middle-class families. While it would be imposed on insurance companies, the cost would be passed along to those who can least afford it, including BLET members and their families. Health care reform for all is important, but it cannot be bought by taking benefits away from Americans with employer provided care, as would be the result of this tax. It is unfathomable that our congressional leaders would attempt to place an unfair and unwarranted excise tax on our health care. It is time for us to fight back and to leave no stone unturned to protect against further erosion of our health care benefits. We will never be heard unless we speak out over this issue, which is of great importance to every BLET family. The time to speak up and protest this outrage is now! Call the U.S. Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121, and ask to speak with the House of Representative member from your Congressional District. Ask your Representative to stand up for BLET members and all workers and their families by joining 190 other Members who have signed on to the Courtney letter. If your Representative has already signed on to the letter, thank them for their support and urge them to hold fast in this support. Click here to see the list of Representatives who have signed on to the letter thus far: http://www.ble-t.org/pr/news/newsflash.asp?id=4921 Tuesday, December 29, 2009 bentley@ble.org © 1997-2010 Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen

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